Palermo Red
by lachlanrose
Summary: Boots. A blindfold. A man. The price of playing this particular game is steep, but the Wolverine loves a challenge and the Rogue can't resist a dare. W/R
1. The Boots

**Title: **Palermo Red  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> None of the awesome people belong to me. Bummer_._  
><strong>Feedback: <strong> totally makes my WolverineMuse do the happy dance. Naked. Heh. The good. The bad. The ugly, welcome… Flames are an invitation for Karma to kick some ass.  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Boots. A blindfold. A man. The price of playing this particular game is steep, but the Wolverine loves a challenge and the Rogue can't resist a dare. W/R  
><strong>Author's notes:<strong> Set in the _Serendipity_ universe. This one is definitely not for the vanilla folks. Just sayin'. It's adult in theme and content and pretty firmly in the BDSM camp. You have been warned! The Wolverine strikes me as a naturally dominant guy and the Rogue strikes me as someone who is reckless enough to be willing to indulge certain proclivities, given the right incentive. If that makes you uncomfortable, stop reading now. If you're still here, then by all means, let the games begin! Heh. This one has four parts and is a little different from my usual in terms of style. You'll see what I mean when you get into the meat of the story. It has an unusual flow, but hopefully it'll work for what I'm after. Let me know, hey? The Rogue definitely takes a walk on the wild side here, but the Wolverine finds his boundaries pushed in ways he didn't expect as well. But then, isn't that how all the best games are played? Onward!

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><p><strong>Palermo Red<strong>

**[Chapter 1: The Boots] **

It began with a flip comment. Some offhand wisecrack about dominatrix boots. Silly words I tossed back at Logan one night when he was shining me on somethin' fierce. He calls me sometimes in his downtime between jobs. I was just teasin' him in that way we seem to have with each other that's somehow both prickly and comfortable. His response was immediate and though it made me laugh, it touched off something inside me I'm still not sure I totally understand.

"_Oh, Christ... dominatrix boots. Would ya? Could ya? Heh." _

Sweet smokin' Jesus. That dirty chuckle gets to me every damn time.

More to the point, I lack the skill to articulate what those words made me feel. It was something beyond playful teasin'. Beyond the warm flutter of desire. Beyond the sexual thrill of the unknown. Even beyond the giddy high we were still riding after our last dirty little encounter. Actually, it felt very much like that night we made the choice to become lovers; a choice I knew would have serious, lasting repercussions. Do I retreat or do I delve headlong into deeper intimacy?

I wish I could say the choice was an easy one, but I suppose it wasn't so much a choice as it was an automatic, instinctive response. In my heart-of-hearts, I can't deny him, and the real truth is that I have absolutely no desire to do so. I still sometimes run afterwards, but the initial impulse is always the same. I wondered exactly how big a smirk was on his face when I gave him my answer.

"_Good girl."_ Now that's just playing dirty. He knows what those particular words do to me. _"What size shoe do you wear?"_ An interesting question. I answered him, wondering what he had in mind. _"I guess all that's left now is seein' if you'll really go through with it, kid."_

Hmmm... Go through with _what_? God. Our games. How I love them. "Yeah? You darin' me, sugar?"

"_Bet your ass I am."_ His voice held a hint of something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. There was an edge to his words that carried with it a frisson of danger. It excited me. "_Not sure if you're up for the challenge, though." _He does know how to push my buttons. I'll give him that.

"You send them and I'll wear them for you, cowboy." Anywhere he liked. My heart beat faster at the very thought of it.

"_No."_ No? _"Darlin', that ain't the way it works. I'll have 'em with me next time you come see me."_

"Yeah?"

"_Oh, yeah."_

"Hmm... so you wouldn't want to send them beforehand so I could meet you somewhere already wearing them?"

I love how he never makes anything easy for me. He says the only easy day was yesterday. I agree. It's kinda just how we are. Our history's pretty rocky. We've been lovers for the last year, but we're not together. Not like _that_. We don't do hearts and flowers. Neither one of us is really the relationship sort. Generally we consider it a win if we've spent any length of time in each other's company without things getting bloody. Our dustups are pretty legendary. It's probably a good thing that Logan never really came back to the school after Japan.

He's got an apartment where he crashes in the city for downtime between missions when he's stateside and I've heard he bought house upstate, but none of us have ever been there. The Wolverine's pretty damn protective of his privacy.

"_Nope."_ He was emphatic.

Okay then. If he was going to up the ante, so was I. "So, you tell me then exactly what it is you'd like." Because I know how to push his buttons, too.

"_Really?"_ A hint of pleasant surprise in his voice, although it lost none of its edge. _"You think you could do it?" _

A direct challenge more than a question, really. His carnal experience far outstrips mine and I knew I was playin' with fire, but it didn't keep me from responding in the affirmative. He knows I can't resist a challenge. And for all the screwed up shit between us, he also knows I trust him.

It's a dangerous combination.

Though his words intrigued me, it was the tone in them that sent tingles of apprehensive excitement racing under my skin. It was thick with sexual promise and the heady sense of 'We'll just see if you can hold your own with me, little girl,' but there was a darker feel to it too. Not malevolence exactly, but it was infused with a feral power he normally kept well leashed with me. With most women, I would imagine. Unapologetic primal dominance.

Interesting. I didn't think he ever really let the Wolverine out to play.

"_Okay then. I want you to come in my house. Go into my livin' room. Strip... and put the boots on."_ A thousand miles apart and he gave me a full body blush, just like that. He paused, read somethin' in my soft intake of air and continued. _"And then put on the blindfold and wait there for me."_

An intense wave of heat shuddered violently through my body.

"_Call it a symbolic gesture of trust. You trust me by wearin' the blindfold. I trust you by wantin' you with me in my home."_ Home. That word was deliberate. His smoky voice rasped softly into my ear. _"Don't worry, darlin'. You'll get to see it all. I'll take the blindfold off... eventually." _

Oh... God.

**~ooOoo~**

MARIE: [It took a bit of finessing, but we managed it. All our schedules allowed us was a single night, but in some ways that was better. Opening up his private sanctuary to me was a big deal and I didn't want him feeling like he was revealin' too much too fast. No, this was better. We would have this night first and then maybe more nights later if we managed not to kill each other. This one night would be a taste of things to come. An exchange of intimacies. He would share the secrets of his home, and in return, I told him to ask one of me... something he felt was worthy of the ones he would be revealing. He didn't disappoint, nor did he ask me something I could easily answer. Boots. A blindfold. A man. Many things waited for me at his home; things I would buy with secrets of my own.]

LOGAN: [She should be here soon, that is if she's accepted the askin' price. I liked that she wanted to bring a secret of equal worth to the table. She's like me in that. Don't like owin' people nothin'. Not even me. There's always a point where things are so fragile that one wrong move can blow it all to hell. That's where we are. I still wonder if the price I set was a little too steep. I asked her to tell me a fantasy that would reveal somethin' she was afraid to show anyone else. It'll probably require some soul searchin' on her part, but I think it shows what I consider the act of openin' my haven to mean. Hard for her. Hard for me. A straight up exchange. This night'll be a test; we each keep control of what will be revealed – me with the blindfold and Marie with her silence. Whatever goes down, it'll define what happens the next time we lie together in my bed.]

MARIE: [Butterflies flutter wildly in my belly as the taxi pulls up outside his home. Last chance to stop this before things get... complicated. This is scarier than I thought it would be. The note Logan sent with the driver is clutched in my fingers, as is the flower he sent along with it. A crimson daylily. In the South especially, some flowers have a specific meaning. This one means 'beautiful flirt'. I wonder if he knows that.]

LOGAN: [From my vantage point, even in the twilight I can see her cab outside and a predatory thrill shoots through me, sharp and hot. I wonder if she's discovered the secret to Palermo red yet. I bet she has. She's a smart girl... and she says I have good taste. I do, in leather as well as women. Heh. It seems like forever before she gets out of the damn taxi. Second thoughts? She's right to have them. Still, I'm willin' her to commit to this. Dismiss the cabbie. Make sure he leaves. C'mon, kid. Come'n play... if you dare.]

MARIE: [My heart's in my throat as I watch the red taillights of the cab disappear through the trees. Alone in the woods. Even with Carol's gifts, it's a little spooky here by myself. The wind is creaking through the trees. It's barely audible above the blood roaring in my ears. There isn't another house around for miles. I take in everything. My artist's eye drinks in the details. I know there are things here he wants me to see. The animal doesn't speak in words. He's a master of subtlety, of conversation held in nothing but shadow and nuance.]

LOGAN: [I see her look and smile nervously, fidgetin' and fingerin' the flower in her hands. A variety I found in Japan called Midnight Magic. Velvety black-red petals. A fittin' gift, one chosen purposefully to set the tone for tonight. She's a woman who appreciates the details. I wonder how many she'll catch. Will she notice how subtle the lightin' is? Only the ground level ones are on. It's purposefully dim, but she can safely walk to my door. That's the first order on the note she carries in her tiny hand.]

MARIE: [The grandeur of the forest seems to swallow the sound of my footsteps as I approach the door. The mossy path is silent underfoot. The note says to let myself in, but I can't help stoppin' here for a moment. I have the distinct sense that I'll be different after this... but I trust him, so I screw up my courage and come inside, closing the heavy door after myself and breathing in deeply, both to calm myself and to take in the scent of this place. It smells masculine. A man's home. Cedar. Leather. Tobacco. A hint of wintergreen.]

LOGAN: [I smile as she stops in fronta my door. She's pretty much built for reckless, except when it comes to her heart. Her thoughts are written across her face. She's thinkin' this'll change her. She's right. I'm pretty damn sure it'll change me too. I don't want her to see or hear me, but I swear a silent promise to her that I'll remember this moment and hold her apprehension in mind in all that I do tonight.]

MARIE: [Music. Soft and low. Something stringed. Touch of an eastern flair. The purring rumble of deep bass. The sound calls to me. Thankfully, the blocky scrawl on the note in my hand has instructed me to follow it, to go further into the house to the livin' room. But only there. No pokin' around in other rooms along the way. As I walk towards the music, I feel the bass in a physical way. Like a humming in my bones. A touch... but not a touch. Another subtlety, softly dragging me deeper into this game.]

LOGAN: [My note has ordered her to come into my livin' room and look around. To explore that one room — and only that one room, 'cause I know how she is — until she feels comfortable. Easy. I want her to investigate, to get to where it don't feel too scary for her. I can tell she's feelin' the bass now. I wasn't sure if she could before, but it's clear she does now. A sound strokin' her skin' like I'm gonna do later. I wonder if she can feel me watchin'.]

MARIE: [I can feel his eyes on me. Like the music. A touch— but not a touch. I wonder how long he's gonna make me wait before he shows himself. That thought is never far from my mind as I take in his private space. It's not what I expected. I imagined something more modern, minimal with clean lines. Brushed steel, lots of glass. This is more... organic. Lots of dark wood. Earth tones. Natural fibers. A shoji screen with rice paper panels. A small fountain trickling over smooth river stones. A beautiful bonsai tree framed by a massive picture window that reveals the endless forest beyond. A large pot of black bamboo in one corner. Bronze wind chimes hang in another. They tinkle prettily under my fingers. One wall is rust colored. The rest are various shades of brown. It reminds me of sandstone. I like it. It feels warm. Serene. Inviting, but in a different way than a woman makes a house a home.]

LOGAN: [This is harder than I thought, but it feels good seein' her in my space and I can't help but like that she wantsta touch my things. Little fingers trailin' here and there. I left a glass of red wine for her on the coffee table. Just wine, nothin' stronger. I want her relaxed, yeah, but I want her thinkin' clear for later. She's sippin' it slowly as she explores. I'm workin' on a single malt scotch, myself. Macallan. It's older than she is. I chose it for a reason. Scotch this damned good should be savored slowly and I know she'll take her sweet time. I take note of what captures her interest. Where she lingers. I wonder if she has any idea how much she's givin' away.]

MARIE: [I'm looking at everything. Touching too. I can't seem to help myself... running my fingertips over the back of the couch and across his furniture, down the spines of the countless books and over his eclectic collection of records. I'm thankful he left me a glass of wine. It's steadying my nerves, relaxin' me as I familiarize myself with this space. I take another drink and wonder if he's sippin' on somethin' too. Bourbon, maybe, or whiskey. I bet he is. Does he need it like I need this wine? The thought makes me smile.]

LOGAN: [A smile. I wonder what she's thinkin'. The wine's made those big soft lips of hers even redder and I wonder how she'd taste if I kissed her just now. My hand drifts down between my legs. I ain't hard yet hard but I feel it twitch against my palm in anticipation. In the note, I've ordered her to wait to open the box I left for her on the couch and not to read the note tucked inside until she's good'n ready for more. To go further. Deeper. Her eyes have touched it a few times but she ain't ready. Not yet. I pour myself another drink. The waitin' ain't easy. The scotch helps. For lotsa reasons.]

MARIE: [I smell the faint scent of ginger. Candles. Something is hidin' on the shelf beside them. It seems to find its way into my hands as if by magic, but the more I look around this room, the more often I find my eyes drawn back to the couch and that box... but I like savorin' this place. I can feel myself beginning to relax. Beginning to gain confidence. Beginning to entrust myself into his care. Generally I'm a sort of let it ride kinda girl, but braving the Wolverine's Den? That's a huge deal and the more I look around, the more I realize how much he's letting me see. And how much such an intimate look's gonna cost me in return.]

LOGAN: [Of everythin' she could have chosen to carry around with her while she explored, she's picked one of my most treasured possessions. I usually keep it in a glass case. About a month ago I took it out. I'm not surprised it's found its way into her hands. It does with me too. We're in tune. I feel it. I know she feels it.]

MARIE: [In my fingers is a little wooden carving. It's a rounded, stylized figure of a horse. Looks Japanese. It's with some surprise I realize that I've been carrying it around with me while I explored. I hope he doesn't mind. It seems made for touching. I'm drawn to it for some reason I can't explain. I wonder where it came from. There's so much about him I don't know.]

LOGAN: [A lot of my old life has come back to me over the years, some good. Most bad. I was once sent on temporary duty to a base in northern Japan. It was a rough assignment that took a lot out of me. I was captured. Tortured. They moved me south and then the bomb fell and the whole world changed. I went back decades later, tryin' to burn out the bad memories, tryin' to figure shit out. So there I was, wanderin' around, the vaguest sense of knowin' where I wanted to be. I was in this forest when I stumbled across a shrine. Zen Buddhist. This place - it was the very antithesis if why I'd once been in this area.]

LOGAN: [Nobody was around; at least that's what I thought. I don't miss much, but then again, that often means I see things I don't wanna see. In this case, however, I guess I just saw what I wanted to see. Peace. Serenity. The meanin' for why I'd come back. When I went back to my bike, I found that figurine sittin' on the seat. Now, any other time in my life, I would have hunted down the person who'd been able to do that without me knowin' — without the _animal_ knowin'— but that time, I just took the gift and knew someone else in the universe understood.]

LOGAN: [The figurine she carries — it's a potent symbol of the honor and duty of the Samarai warrior. I hope to earn it someday. The Professor. The school. What he gave me; there's somethin' about the freedom to be the man I'd like to be that keeps me comin' back to that place, even now that he's gone. I hope that as Marie touches that connection to my past and my future, she feels comfortable enough to begin her own journey of discovery tonight.]

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><p>Up next: <strong>The Blindfold<strong>. Marie allows the Wolverine to draw her deeper into his lair…

Author's notes: Okay, y'all. This one has four parts and is somewhere in the 15K range. (I know, I know!) I'm hoping to get them all up before Christmas. We'll see. Also, I'm nearly finished with another (new and unadvertised!) story that I'm aiming to get up shortly thereafter. O.o My WolverineMuse is completely OUT OF CONTROL. All that writing and NO Shine? WTF?! He doesn't make excuses or apologies. I think he's assuming (probably quite correctly, given his smirk) that 20K or so worth of smut will be a (hopefully) adequate diversion while he gets his shit together. One can only hope. All this avoidance of actually writing the end of Shine by burying me in other (smutty) bunnies is killin' me! Too much writing. Too little sleep. Hmmm. I wonder if that's a thing? Death by mainlining fic? How does that old phrase go…. If you get lost in a citrus forest and a lemon tree falls and nobody hears it because they're too busy with sexytimes to notice….


	2. The Blindfold

**[Chapter 2: The Blindfold]**

MARIE: [It sounds silly, but touching this figurine of Logan's has settled something deep inside me. I replace it carefully where I found it and walk to the couch. It's time to face both the box and my fears. I open it and the rich smell of fine leather immediately assaults me. I suck in a deep breath and smile. The boots are gorgeous.]

LOGAN: [I see her eyes widen as the red leather comes into view. Bought 'em for her in Palermo. She's smilin' 'cause I got the color right. I hope. My gift to her. It's the color of the petals on the flower I gave her earlier. Fire and coals and passion and anger. Such a deep red it's almost black. Flames and heat. Blood and ash. That's how she is. That's how we are. The leather is soft, supple and deceptive – just like her, at times. Then it's my turn to smile 'cause she can't keep from strokin' the leather even before she reads the note. She's real sensual. S'a good sign.]

MARIE: [The boots are exquisite. I know good etiquette says to read the note before you acknowledge the gift, and in the back of my mind, I can hear mama fussin' at me, but the leather was too fine not to stroke before I read the note tucked away inside. His handwriting is angular and strangely fluid. The instructions are simple. Strip completely and wear only what's in the box. When I'm ready to continue, sit and wait for him on the ottoman. A wave of heat suffuses my body. I wonder if he can see my hand shake as I replace the note. Do I really want to know?]

LOGAN: Her hands are shakin' a little, there. She'll be wonderin' if I caught it. I did. I also caught the way she pressed her legs together and that shiver, that's a giveaway, for sure. I can tell even without that sweet scent sittin' on the back of my tongue that's the exact moment she got wet imaginin' what I'm gonna do to her tonight. I can see the wheels turnin' in her head. 'How much does he know... Is he watchin'?' Does she really expect me not to watch? I learn more by watchin' her in these moments than seems possible.]

MARIE: [I remove the boots and find there is one other item inside the box – a blindfold, made from the softest silk. Oh, god. It matches the boots perfectly. For a moment I can't even move, but it feels like the world is spinning around me. Vertigo. It's like he's inside my head in a whole different way. Reading my every thought. When I saw the color of the boots I knew, I just KNEW the blindfold would be dyed to match.] _Get out of my head._

LOGAN: [I wonder if she's knows she whisperin' out loud. In her head is exactly where I wanna be. Tonight, anyway. I don't want to inhabit her mind. She don't need no more of me up there. That ain't good for either of us. I like it better like this. I like knowin' it'll take a while to learn her mysteries. Like somethin' you unwrap a little at a time... but tonight, I wanna go somewhere with her we ain't been before. I wonder if any part of the blindfold scares her or makes her nervous. It should. On some level, it means she's givin' up control and I think if she looks inside herself, she'll find a part of her that might not be totally comfortable with that even though I know she trusts me with her life. I reckon that's a good thing. Then it's a conscious act on her part to lay that aside and really trust in me in a way she never has before.]

MARIE: [I finger the blindfold with a touch close to reverence. It scares me a little. I trust him not to hurt me, but that doesn't negate my fear of the unknown. I know he's vastly more experienced than I am and I have the sense that his knowledge puts me at a distinct disadvantage, something I find both scary and exciting. I can't help but wonder if he's done this before, and if he has, did the woman he did it with know things I don't? I hope he won't be disappointed.]

LOGAN: [Her face is an open book. She knows there have been other women. Hell, she's been givin' me shit about it for years. Now it's different. Tonight she's comparin' herself to them and wonderin' how she'll measure up. Honey, it ain't even close. Not a single one has ever given me the kinda things she has.]

MARIE: [I'm afraid... although it feels good to be here. I'm not just the first woman he's brought here, but the first person — period. That makes me feel real warm inside. Special. This is a pretty big deal, especially for someone as guarded as he is. Maybe I won't be that much of a disappointment after all. I suddenly feel a renewed sense of power. I'm gonna rise to this challenge and meet him head on. I stand and begin to undress.]

LOGAN: [Somethin' changed. I dunno what, but she's playin' with me now. Teasin'. Smilin' as she folds up her clothes instead of just tossin' them aside wherever. Makin' me wait on her, now. She's got power here, too. More than she knows. I'm enjoyin' watchin' her torment me. It shows me that she might have given up some control, but that she'll challenge me to keep it. If I'm honest, that's what I was hopin' to see. She never disappoints.]

MARIE: [I'm thankful for the fire he prepared for me. It made this space more warm and welcoming but it's also keeping me from shivering as I slide off the last scrap of my clothing. I feel very vulnerable, naked in a strange place. Now I understand why he wanted me to familiarize myself with it first. Even surrounded by his things, it's still pretty uncomfortable. A little scary and a lot exciting, too. It takes some time to get the boots on. They have to be laced up completely along the sides. It's an arduous process, but the end result is stunning. A strip of pale skin from ankle to mid-thigh is visible, contrasting beautifully with the deep red of the leather and the dark lacing. I like intricate things and the repetitive movements help calm me down a little. I only hope he doesn't arouse me to my breaking point and then order me to take them off before he fucks me. In that case, I'd be much less inclined to enjoy the lengthy process.]

LOGAN: [The laces are pretty complex and I knew it'd take her a lotta time to do 'em up. I thought she'd be cursin' me. I shoulda known better. She's an artist. She likes the details. She likes fuckin' with me, too. Her fingers are quick and sure. I finish off the last of my scotch knowin' it won't be long now. That moment I've been waitin' on is almost here. I needta be ready.]

MARIE: [There. Done. I rise and walk from one end of the room to the other to give the boots a little test drive, leaving the blindfold aside for the moment. I feel awkward and self-conscious, like any other woman wouldn't have had to try them out, but I wanted to be sure I can walk in these after the blindfold goes on. I hope he's not laughing at me and thinking what an unsophisticated little girl I am. I'm not really paying attention, but my steps have begun to fall in time to the beat of the music playing in the background.]

_You've left me now and it's seasoned my soul...  
><em>_And with every step you take...  
><em>_I watch another part of you go..._

LOGAN: [Goddamn. She should see herself... This moment, it's everythin' I imagined it would be – and more. What a view. Swayin' right in time to the beat. Jesus. Watchin' her on the edge of explorin' this with me... Right now, I wouldn't trade places with any man on Earth. She's beautiful. I dunno what it is, but I likes contrasts. Always have. Smooth and rough. Hot and cold. Soft and hard. Heh. I love the color of her dark hair against her fair skin and also where the deep red of the boot meets the creamy skin of her thigh. My hand could easily span the distance between the top of the boot and the dark curls between her legs. Mmm... that's different than before, too. Last time she was pink and bare. Either way's hot as hell, but I like this best. She's blushin'. It reminds me I'm givin' an innocent a taste of sexual darkness. That thought excites me even more than the sight of her in those fuckin' boots.]

_I continue to build the wall...  
><em>_You were so strong, I fell to my knees...  
><em>_And I don't think I can handle this at all..._

MARIE: [I can feel the blush rise as I walk. My face feels hot. I imagine it's nearly the same shade as the leather. At least, that's how it feels. Red as the wine in my glass, for sure. It's the blush more than the naked skin that makes me feel self-conscious. I'm sure he can see everything from wherever he's hidden himself away. I sit back down on the ottoman and drape the silk blindfold across my thighs as I swallow the last sip of my wine. The words of the song tease at the edges of my consciousness. The moment of truth is at hand and I'm not at all sure I'll be able to handle it. Still, I wanna try.]

_Well, one more night I'd like to lie and hold you, yes and feel...  
><em>_To make you smile, I'd like to be there for you...  
><em>_Have you forgotten me?_

LOGAN: [This is my night to hold her. I wanna make it one she remembers. That's for damn sure. Watchin' her prepare to put on the blindfold, I realize somethin'. She's worn her hair up in a high ponytail. Shows me she's thinkin' ahead. Anticipating. Maybe even hopin' a little. It'll make it easier to tie the blindfold on without snaggin' her hair. Smart girl. This is the first real test. I wish I knew what she was thinkin' as she decides whether or not she'll let me lead her into the darkness.]

MARIE: [He wants to take away my sight. All those years I couldn't touch, I lived through art, through my eyes. It's the most difficult sense for me to lose. Like a musician being denied sound. He knows me so well. I wonder how much further he'll push tonight. I'm torn. I want him to ask a lot of me. A true challenge. But I don't want him to ask too much. How many secrets will I give up to him tonight?]

LOGAN: [She's motionless. Thinkin'. Not tyin' it on. Not settin' it aside, either. Of course, she's also naked in my livin' room. That tells me she's willin' to take the risk. Still, she can always call it quits. We would just finish the bottle of wine and have a nice evenin'. The note sent with the lily made that clear. She can stop this at any time. The decision is up to her.]

MARIE: [I'd love to say that the idea of stopping this never once crossed my mind... but it did. And not as fleetingly as some might imagine, given the name I chose for myself and my pretty reckless personal history. I'm thankful he's given me an out, but I've always liked things that take a fair amount of trouble. Workin' hard for it makes the achievement mean something. Playing this sort of game with the Wolverine, well that's kinda like baptism by fire. Who knows what we'll be on the other side of it? I take a deep breath and lift the blindfold to my eyes. A blush rises as I fumble with it. My fingers refuse to work the way I want them to. I am too nervous, feeling like a silly girl playing at a woman's game.]

LOGAN: [Her hands are shakin'. She's havin' trouble tyin' the knot. Jesus. I wonder if she has any idea how beautiful that makes her to me. She ain't jaded. She's free of any taint of real darkness. Mine to mark any way I want. I feel the animal rise at that, feel his power real strong and I know I gotta lock it away if I'm gonna play this game right. She's kept me waitin' long enough. The blindfold is secure. Her hands are clasped in her lap. All that's left is for her to call out to me. To say my name to show me she's ready. She still looks pretty nervous, but she's got some serious stones to play this game with someone like me.]

MARIE: [Blind. My heart is beating very fast inside my chest. There's just one thing left to do now. One last tumbler to fall into place in order to set this in motion. His name. I speak it with more confidence than I feel, clear and strong to show him I am not afraid.] _Logan...?_

LOGAN: [I can't help but smile. Sassy little thing, actin' all brave. She don't fool me, though. Her voice might be steady but I can see her pulse beatin' a wild rhythm in the hollow of her throat. I can hear it, too. Slammin' in my ears. She's a rabbit run to ground. I don't answer her call. I make her wait. Watchin' for clues that'll tell me when I should make my move.]

MARIE: [He's making me wait. Somehow, I knew he would. I've never played this kinda game with anyone before, but I know anticipation always heightens the moment. Head cocked, I strain hard to hear him. It's frustrating. I hear nothing but the music. What sounds can it be hiding? I think he must be using it for that reason. Without sight, my hearing is heightened. I try to listen for him but it's impossible not to focus on the music. It's low but the bass is throbbing into me... pulling me down deeper. The waiting has become torture.]

LOGAN: [The music's gettin' to her. She's restless. Twitchy. Nervous. Shiftin' on the ottoman and still I make her wait. Bet she'll think I'm usin' the music to mask my movement. I could, but even if I'd left it off she wouldn't have been able to hear me. It ain't arrogance. It's just the truth. What I am, what I can do… it's so much more than just givin' or takin' a hard punch. So much wilder. I'm made for this.]

MARIE: [I think I'll go mad. Where is he? Suddenly, I hear a noise. It sounds like it's comin' from the direction of the doorway. My head turns sharply. As it does, I feel his touch.]

LOGAN: [She starts at my touch. I've been with her so long and she never even knew. My fingers brush right at the hairline between her thighs. It's a bold first move. A definite signal.]

MARIE: _Logan..._ [His name falls from my lips, half question, half gasp. I laugh nervously but get no response. It makes me feel like I'm standing at the edge of a sheer cliff. I can hear his breathing. It is not above me anymore but closer, lower. I can tell he's crouched down before me, studying me. Watching. Waiting.]

LOGAN: [My fingers move quickly and I penetrate her deeply. Still no words from me. Her fingers are clutchin' the edge of the ottoman, hard. Her mouth opens and shuts but no sound comes out. I sense she wants to say somethin' but she's too caught up in what's happenin' now. She's wet and tight. Tense around my fingers.]

MARIE: [God! I'm reeling. Shocked into stillness by the sudden, intrusive intimacy. I haven't seen him in weeks and now, without so much as a single word, his hand is between my legs and his fingers are pressed so deep inside me. It takes all of my willpower not to wrap both hands around his thick wrist. I'm not sure if I want to pull him away or grab him tight because I need an anchor. I feel like the world is spinning away.]

LOGAN: [I lean in against her ear as I slip my fingers from her body.] _Gimme your hand._ [My voice is cold and hard. No real emotion comin' through. I've gone within, someplace I need to be to play this game with her, but I'm also where she needs me to be.]

MARIE: [The tone of his voice raises the hair at my nape. It is steely and flat where it's usually rich and warm. It makes me think he must be somewhere deep inside himself to talk to me like that. It's frightening, and yet the fact that it doesn't waver thrills me. He's firmly in control. All that remains is for me to follow him into the darkness. I reach out my right hand, breathless and aware it is trembling. I'm dizzy. Afraid. Excited. It's time.]

* * *

><p>Up next: <strong>The Man<strong>. She called. He answered. The game moves beyond their heads and into the physical...

Author's note: God bless coffee. And NINE whole days of holiday vacation. Guess which girl slept in this morning? Heh. I also owe a shout out to Ms. Nicks for the borrowed lyrics and a thank you to my awesome beta, Doctorg, who was willing to entertain this crazy even as she was all: Um, you know this is 40 pages of something that's not Shine, right?! Heh. I'm evil that way. Apparently, it's a BDSM Wolverine Christmas. I'm down with that. Also, any vanilla folks still on the bandwagon might want to exit stage left at this point, unless they're open to pushing through the vanilla into the chocolate fudge ripple with kinky sprinkles. Just sayin'.


	3. The Man

**[Chapter 3: The Man]**

LOGAN: [I take her hand and pull her to her feet. She's agile and the motion's graceful, but she ain't used to the boots and she grips my hand real tight in hers to steady herself. I let her wait, just standin' there in total silence. I know she's dyin' to know what comes next. S'just how she is. Real curious. She's gotta be aware of that I'm readin' the hell outta her right now, which only makes the oppressive anticipation she's experiencin' feel more intense. I know what I'm doin'. I wait until she shivers before puttin' my hand on her elbow.] _Lemme guide ya. Just walk where I lead ya, darlin'._

MARIE: [I nod, still unable to find my tongue. I'm glad we're moving. It's preferable to being still and yet it's frightening, too. This is the only room where I feel comfortable. The only place I know my surroundings. The further away from it we move, the more nervous I get. He begins to lead me down a hall I glimpsed from the living room but didn't explore. My heels clack loudly on the wood floor. I try to make a joke to ease my fears.] _The long walk... The green mile..._ [I laugh but he does not. Oh, God.]

LOGAN: [Her nerves are rampin' up a bit now. Good. I wonder what she'll think of this next experience. I pull her to a stop and turn her. I know she'll be able to hear me opening a door. I lead her forward. She is listenin' real intently now, tryin' to work out what's goin' on. Good girl. Bet she never imagined she'd use the stuff she learned in the Danger Room for somethin' like this. I pull her to a stop and move away from her. The heels are damn high and without my support, she seems to wobble a bit.] _Open your stance. Spread your legs._

MARIE: [God! That was rude. And hot. My shiver went all the way down, but I do what he says because I don't want to fall. I'm straining to glean anything I can with the senses left to me. The air in here is cooler and the room sounds hollow to me. No fire. No music. A hard floor. Nothing to absorb the sound. No rugs. Probably minimal furniture. Where am I? I'm so busy trying to read my surroundings that I am caught unaware when he steps away. I suck in a deep breath and move my legs apart as he's instructed, finding my balance. At first there is only silence and then his voice comes to me from somewhere across the room.]

LOGAN: _Marie, darlin'? I wantcha to tell me what you're willin' to do for me tonight. _ [Her chest rises and falls. I can see the pulse at her throat. It's thready and fast. I wait for her answer. She knows I'll know if she's lyin'.]

MARIE: [My initial response is to say 'anything' but we both know that isn't true and I never say anything I don't mean. I'm also aware he'll know if I'm lying. He once told me lies have a distinctive stink. I give him the most truthful answer I can.] _I'm willing to take a risk. _ [Is that the right answer? IS there a right answer? The longer we play this game, the more naïve I feel. It makes me more aware of his experience. His dominance. I'm beginning to understand.]

LOGAN: [She can't see me smile but she's given the perfect answer. My next question comes from another part of the room and I enjoy the way her head whips around as she tries to work out where I am. Heh.] _Marie, are you willin' to tell me what you're afraid might happen tonight?_

MARIE: [I nod. I'm so nervous I can hear my own heartbeat but his question is easy to answer.] _I'm afraid you might ask me to take too big a risk._ [A hundred 'what if' scenarios play through my head. I push them aside and force myself to remember that this is Logan. He would never hurt me. It's not pain that scares me, though. I don't want to do the wrong thing. And I don't want to fail, especially in front of him.]

LOGAN: [I sigh, but it's so soft I know she don't hear it. My next question comes from behind her. Again her head darts around, still tryin' to get a fix on me.] _Marie, are you willin' to tell me what one thing you dreamed would happen tonight?_

MARIE: _Yes._ [My next words are decisive.] _I dream of you sharing something with me that you haven't shared with anyone else. _[Selfish, I suppose, but true. I'm giving him something I've never given another man. I've taken a bold step towards him. I want to know he's willing to take a bold step towards me too. I want to walk this path together.]

LOGAN: [The next time I speak, it's a breath of air across her ear. I'm standin' right at her back, close enough to smell her, to feel her body heat. Close enough for her to feel my power.] _Marie, baby? Your hands. Put 'em in the small of your back and hold 'em there. Lemme show ya a new way of lookin' at yourself. _ [Her hands move without hesitation. Good. It was a command not a suggestion. She's learnin'. She clasps them together at the small of her back, the long slender fingers of her right hand grippin' her left wrist. I don't bind 'em. This particular prison's more effective when it's of her own makin'. My breath drifts across her other ear this time.] _Keep your hands there at all times._

MARIE: [His words make me shudder. So does his hot breath across my cheek. I can detect the faint scent of scotch in addition to the warm, masculine scent of his body. There's a fleeting burst of triumph. He needed a drink too. It fades fast, but leaves me wishing he'd kiss me. I love the taste of him after a good belt or two. I'm also aware I can't hear him move which leads me to believe he's barefoot. I immediately wonder if he's naked too. The thought that he might be dressed while I'm not makes me feel even more vulnerable.]

LOGAN: [As I move away from her, it's easy to tell she's now aware of me in a way she hasn't been before. It's... electric. Her other senses are tryin' to make up for the blindness, fillin' in the gaps. She's strainin' to hear me. I see her chest rise as she tries to catch my scent. That little pink tongue peepin' out to wet her lip. Her fingers flutter restlessly at her back. I know she wants to touch me. Kiss me. She's ready.]

MARIE: [I gasp and jerk like a marionette on a string as something soft touches my skin, right at my upper thigh. It drifts higher... circling my nipples. I tense as it runs up my neck. It takes a considerable amount of effort not to move away from it. I can't tell what it is. It's soft and... ticklish. He drags it down my arms and I feel it wisp across my wrists. A moment later I feel him come up flush against my back. My hands are caught between us and now I have my answer. Skin to skin. He is naked.]

LOGAN: [I move quickly, before she can really process what I'm doin' or gauge the level of my arousal.] _Open your mouth._ [Now a warnin'. She don't have the discipline not to react.] _Don't move your hands._ [The softness that was teasin' her skin now becomes somethin' else as I slide the silken gag in place and tie it behind her head. She trembles, but complies.]

MARIE: [So much trust in this one simple act. Obeying him was pretty hard. Now I'm unable to tell him anything. I can't ask him to stop, at least not with words. Blind and mute, unable to touch. I feel like a hooded falcon, dependent on him for everything. But unlike the bird, I know I'm not trapped. I can just drop my hands and walk away at any time.]

LOGAN: [My fingers drift along her jaw.] _Do you know what's great about this gag?_ [She shakes her head and I plant a kiss over her lips around the deep red silk.] _It gives you freedom._ [This time, I don't step away. My hands want to claim her. Her skin. All of it. I want her reelin'. The idea that she might lose it a little, that her skin might turn on at some point, excites me.]

MARIE: [Freedom? It seems an odd notion that bound and gagged I'm free, but he's right. He's given me boundaries and I'm utterly free to express myself inside of them in any way I choose. I can feel his body heat as he moves around me. He's in front of me now. I can feel his breath on my face, feel his very presence. It's both disturbing and exciting. Even without touch, I can feel how much bigger he is, how much more powerful. I feel exquisitely small and feminine in contrast to his unapologetic masculinity.]

LOGAN: [I brush my fingers down her throat, a soft pettin' motion. She swallows deeply and I kiss her right there, lovin' the way her neck arches. It's instinctive. It's the way animals show submission. Seein' it from her this way fires my blood and makes my dick twitch. The Wolverine is howlin', but I shove him back. She's not ready to play this game with him. I don't think I am, either. I touch her breasts, softly at first, feelin' their weight while I tell her how beautiful they are and then I let my mouth love her there, suckin' and lickin'. Feastin' on her.]

MARIE: [To be denied everything but the feel of his hands and mouth is exquisite. I know I'm blushing. I can feel the heat of it spread down my cheeks and across my chest. It gets worse when he tells me how much he likes to see it. I can hear how much he's enjoying tasting my skin. The urge to slide my hands into his hair and hold him to me is difficult to suppress. Behind my back, my hands curl into fists. It's a real challenge to have control over my own hands but not to disobey his order to keep them clasped behind my back... but for now, my will is stronger than my desire. I breathe in sharply when I feel him sink to his knees before me.]

LOGAN: [I can smell her hunger for me. It's makin' my mouth water.] _Spread your legs wider._ [I wanna see. She obeys, but when I don't immediately touch her like she expects, her brow furrows. I'm enjoyin' watchin' her try so hard to stay in control of her emotions.]

MARIE: [I move my legs apart as he's instructed, but I can't resist tapping my foot to shine him on a little when he doesn't touch me. It makes a sharp, satisfying sound on the smooth, hard floor. I also can't help but hope it hides a little of my apprehension. I don't know what to expect. The anticipation has me tightly strung.]

LOGAN: [I swallow a smile at her rebellious little gesture, but she can't fool me. I know her control over her emotions is hangin' by a thread. I wanna see how far I can push her before it snaps. My hands touch her skin just above the boot and I lean in to kiss her there. It ain't a chaste kiss. My mouth is open, wet on her thigh. Tongue. Teeth. Suckin'. Bitin'. Leavin' a chain of little marks she'll find later. I smile against her skin as I feel her squirm and lean into me. My nose is inches from her pussy.] _You smell so fuckin' good._

MARIE: [A wave of heat suffuses my body at the first touch of his mouth. It's hot, searing a path up my thigh. I feel the wet rasp of his tongue. The gentle pressure of his teeth. I lean into him, pressing forward as much as I can given the balance required by the boots. I don't want to fall. But I don't want him to stop, either.]

LOGAN: [That ain't a part of this game.] _I won't help ya keep your balance so be careful you don't fall._ [I hope she's payin' attention. The bulk of my attention ain't on keepin' her upright just now. I kiss my way up her inner thigh. So slow. So close... but before I reach the part of her I know she thinks I'm aimin' for, I pull back and begin to kiss the other leg. I love windin' her up.]

MARIE: [I make a sound somewhere between a mewl and a hum when he denies me the pleasure of his mouth where I'm dying for him to touch me most. I'm lightheaded with anticipation. His mouth is kissing up the inside of my other thigh now and his fingers are lightly touching my cheeks, right where they meet my legs... so light, like a tickle. His mouth is moving up... up... so close. I... I want. Oh, God. I want.]

LOGAN: [I stop and pull back right before I reach where I should go. Her snort of air tells me she don't approve. It makes me laugh. She just can't believe that I could leave her like that and walk away. She's learnin' to circumvent the gag, though. Learnin' how to tell me how she feels without words. It's an important lesson. I chuckle at the way she's drawn her delicate brows into what I know goes with a frown under the gag.] _You didn't think it would be that easy, did ya, kid?_

MARIE: [I'm a bit miffed at him but I shake my head 'no'. It would be disappointing if it was that simple, but I also don't want to make it too easy for him. I can feel how wet I am. A warm droplet rolls down the inside of my thigh and I wonder if I've dripped onto the floor between my feet, but a rush of rebellious fire stops me from trying to hide it from him. I don't close my legs. I want him to see what he's missing. It makes me feel powerful. I like the idea of him having to work at making me submit to his will. The Rogue never goes down without a fight.]

LOGAN: [I watch intently, wonderin' exactly how she's gonna to try to get control back. She's not closed her legs to me. Interestin'. I see her chin come up. There's defiance there. And pride. Christ, that's hot. But now she's distracted by her emotions when she should be tryin' to use her senses to figure out what I'm doin'. I'm able to sneak up on her again real easy.]

MARIE: [God! I feel him again. The words 'rookie mistake' ring in my brain and I'm again aware I'm playing games with someone who knows so much more than I do. I should have been listening! I won't make that mistake again. Something not-skin touches me. What's that?! He's clasping something to my nipples. They're so hard they ache and I can feel him putting something there, weighing them down a little bit. It's cold. Smooth. There is no real pain, just pressure. It feels so good. That surprises me, and that makes me whimper a little. I- I like it. I like how it feels and that makes a blush rise.]

LOGAN: _This'll help keep your attention right here… a part of your body that's fuckin' hot when ya blush like that._ [I kiss her right in that spot she knows is blushin' the worst of all... right below her neck. It's a deeper pink than her nipples. I wonder if she has any idea how gorgeous she is to me right then, wearin' nothin' but my gifts and the reactions I have wrung from her body. Time to have some fun. I chuckle in her ear.] _You, okay, baby?_ [Her snort of displeasure is immediate. I knew she wouldn't like me makin' fun when she's really beginnin' to pay attention to the sexual issues goin' on. I wait for her response.]

MARIE: [I'm annoyed with his teasin' but I nod anyway. I don't want to stop playing this game and I recognize a wind-up when I hear one. This time, I remember to listen as he moves away... and this time, I hear a metallic clicking. It is rude and intrusive – like handcuffs clicking as they're tightened. Jubes has this pair of handcuffs... I can't even think about all the stories she'd told me about them right now, but it reminds me of that sound. Logan would probably think that's cheatin', but it allows me some small measure of peace.]

LOGAN: [I watch her reaction carefully. How does that noise make her feel? Nervous? Curious? Attentive? The line between erotic anxiety and true fear is a fine one. I'm real careful now, unwillin' to cross it with her like this. She's shiftin' all around and sweatin' a little, but she don't smell scared and she hasn't flinched. That's my girl. Come play with me, darlin'.]

MARIE: [The sound is louder. He's letting me hear him come closer... there's that sound again; something metallic, jingling as he walks. That can't be good. He wants me to know something. I know how he is. I'm being allowed to hear this sound for a reason. I feel the sharp itchy prickle of sweat. Be gentle with me, sugar.]

LOGAN: [I can see her sweat. It's above her lip and along her chest. God, it's so beautiful. I can't help myself. I lick above her lip and kiss down onto her chest. I'm too weak for her in this moment. It takes me a few minutes to regain control of myself and it's not helpin' me to hear the noises she's makin'. I know if the gag was off, she'd be moanin' real good now.]

MARIE: [I am dying to kiss him. This is the first time I've ever really minded the gag. His touch electrifies my senses. I moan deep in my throat. I want him to know I want him. I'm still afraid of what he might do to me, but I'm getting to the point where it just doesn't matter. I want him to come closer. To touch me again.]

LOGAN: [I pause to collect myself and then I make the jingling noise again. Her chin drops and I wonder if she's worried. My next touch is so unexpected, she groans around the gag so loud that if I hadn't been hard before, that would have done it. I tickle her with its softness. The opposite of what she expected. Diversion. Surprise. A trick. Somethin' to raise her expectations so I could surprise her again.]

MARIE: [I was expecting metal. Something hard. Cold and sharp, like the sound. I was not expecting softness. It feels different than before when he tickled me with the gag. What is it that's running over my breasts... up my neck... over the gag, teasing the lips underneath? It comes to me as I feel it run so slowly down my spine. A feather.]

LOGAN: [You know, I'm in the middle of torturin' her and I think she likes it. Heh. Runnin' the tip down her spine... across her wrists... over her fingers. She's been a good girl. They are still clasped tight at the small of her back. I change tactics, twirlin' it down her sweet ass. Ah, Christ. I gotta do that again. God, it really is sweet. Down her legs and then back up again. I can't keep away from it.]

MARIE: [I know he's learning about me, about which places make me moan and which places make me squirm, but I'm learning about him too. I take notice of the places he returns to until the feather centers between my legs and any rational thought I have left scatters like ashes in the wind.]

LOGAN: [Such a pretty view for me. I move closer, twirlin' the feather lightly between her legs. Right. There. At. The. Top. Of. Her. Thighs. But from behind. So close. An unexpected way to approach. It flits across her wetness and she keens, saggin' at the knees.] _Don't fall down. _ [I say it harshly, but I have a steadyin' hand on her hip just in case. She's breathin' so hard. Christ, imagine what I'm seein'. She's so wet it's damn near obscene. Pink and glossy. Fuck. That's good. I know she's wonderin' what she must look like to me and I can tell she's excited by what I might see. I can sense where she is in her mind. I want her to submit. Now. I take the feather away and wait for it.]

MARIE: [I am dragging in rough deep breaths. I want more. This is agony to be held on the edge like this. Please, I need to come. Please! How do I tell him? I have no more pride, only the need for him to release me from this torment. My chin drops. What else can I do? I move my leg and touch him gently with my knee. He is so close that I can feel his breath. It makes me even wetter. I can feel my pulse pounding between my legs. Please. Please hear me. Please...]

LOGAN: [I am waitin' for one more signal. Come on, darlin'. Think. She makes a low submissive sound in her throat and my dominance is complete. I give her both the feather and my words, simultaneously.] _Come for me, Marie. Come right now._ [I say it hard and louder than I've been talkin'. It shocks her, but frees her too.]

MARIE: [It's his words that push me into flight. The little flutters become a throbbing ache as my body contracts sharply. I jerk in his arms and shudder violently as I give myself up to him, humping my hips in the air and rocking against the tip of the feather.]

LOGAN: [Her legs press together tight and she comes hard with a hoarse cry. From behind, I hold her around the waist, just bein' a part of what she's experiencin'. Feelin' it ripple through her as she shakes in my arms. She's holdin' nothin' back. She's so into it. It thrills me to just hold her while she feels this way... I wanna be a part of this, but I also want somethin' more. I struggle with myself. With the animal. This is harder than I thought it would be.] _Shhh..._ [I whisper in her ear. Soothin' words.] _You're so beautiful. Love seein' ya like this, baby. Come back to me, Marie. Come back..._ [Her breathin' slows and evens out as I continue to croon to her. I can't resist touchin' her breasts. I forget about the clamps until I bump them. Whoops. Shit. She whimpers at the reminder. It wakes me up.] _I'm gonna walk away now. You need to stand on your own. _[I say it without emotion. Back in the zone. Just that quick.]

* * *

><p>Up Next:<strong> The Wolverine<strong>.

Yep. The Wolverine. That's what I said. Heh. Gold star for anyone who guesses how this is really gonna end...


	4. The Wolverine

**[Chapter 4: The Wolverine]**

MARIE: [I feel bereft without Logan's touch but it forces me to be more aware. His voice has changed, losing its warmth once again. I wonder where he has gone but I manage to stand alone as he steps away. I'm not really steady just yet, but I can keep my feet without help.]

MARIE: [That— that blew my mind. What I just experienced was shockingly intense — both the feeling itself as well as the sense of being exposed. Unlike every other sexual experience I've ever had with him, this time he was detached enough to watch objectively. That was a huge jump. It was more something he did to me than with me. I wonder if it was as intense for him as it was for me. I feel... swirly, lost in a haze of sexual pleasure.]

LOGAN: [She's still breathin' real hard, not listenin' too good just yet. Still inside herself. Suddenly, I'm at her side. I touch her face, stroke down her cheek and marvel at the tears. I can't see 'em, but I can smell the tang of salt. There're there, under the blindfold. She leans into my touch.] _I need your trust right now, Marie._ [I make my voice soft. I'm a little worried. I don't want this to be too intense for her. I wanna give her somethin', show her somethin' about herself, about us, but it's risky. Too much and she won't wanna play no more. It's a fine line but I'm committed to what I want for us so I push on.] _I wantcha to trust that I won't hurt ya. Can you do that?_ [I wait for her nod.] _I wantcha to lean forward and trust that I won't letcha fall. _

MARIE: [I'm kinda afraid. More than kinda, really. I'm trembling but I think about the train. I trusted him then. This is harder... but I do it. I feel my heart begin to beat faster as I start to move.]

LOGAN: [She hesitates only to decide how she'll do it, but instinct is instinct and it wins. I knew it would. I watch her bend over from the waist...slowly... seein' if she can work out when I'll stop her - but I don't. Tentatively, she bends further. Come on, honey. Trust me. I won't letcha fall.]

MARIE: [Just as I am really beginning to wonder what's going on, my cheek touches something soft and smooth and cool. It smells like leather. A moment later, I feel the same sensation against my breasts. I test it with my weight slowly and decide it's something sturdy. It's hard not to explore its surface and edges with my hands. It's flat like a table but without my sight, I can't be sure exactly what it is. Whatever it is, I know I'm resting on something meant to hold my weight, but also meant keep me in an awkward position. What the hell is it? I'm so curious I can barely stand it. God, what's he gonna do now?]

LOGAN: [I breathe slowly and let her take her time becomin' comfortable with the idea she's restin' against somethin' that'll easily take her weight. Mine too. When she begins to relax, I talk into the silence.] _Spread your legs._ [Not a suggestion. A command. It's an invasive position, makin' her even more vulnerable. Naked. Bent over. Legs spread. Forbidden to use her hands. And I'm about to make it worse. Heh.]

MARIE: [I feel acutely vulnerable in this position. He could do anything he wanted to me like this. Anything. I struggle not to use my hands. That's the hardest part for me. Worse than the gag. I want to cling to something, to hang on for dear life. He has changed things enough that I'm anxious again but I still want him to come closer. I want him to touch me again even as the idea makes me shiver with apprehension.]

LOGAN: [The feather again. I start at her ankles and work my way up, makin' sure she can feel it through the laces on the boots. Up... up... up... She's squirmin' all over by the time it clears the leather and begins to tickle the backs of her thighs. Over her cheeks, takin' my time. Enjoyin' the show. Christ, that's good. Pink n' shakin' and wet as hell. I make sure to tease here there real good. Tickle the places that are the deepest pink. Run the tip of the feather round and round that wet openin' 'till we're both breathin' hard before I move on. This time, I take too long at her spine. She begins to move with the feather. I can't tell if she's tryin' to get away from it or move closer.]

MARIE: [I wiggle and shift as he teases me with it. It feels so good. An almost-touch like the bass. Like the rasp of his voice. My senses are on fire, every nerve in my body is screaming for him to touch me. Really touch me. I am intently focused on the feather. It's all I have in my mind. I hate it and I love it. It's such a sweet torture but I'm too familiar with it now for it to elicit the same response that it did before. I need somethin' more this time. More pressure. More friction. Please, sugar...]

LOGAN: [I tickle and tease. Can I make her come with the feather even when it ain't on her sweet spot? I don't think so. Not this time. The noises she's makin' in her throat don't hold any of the frantic notes they did before. It shouldn't be scary now. Her responses tell me it ain't. Good. This is right where we should be, and this is the moment I feel things shift. It is ain't about whether or not one of us is in control of this no more. Now it's about workin' together. I've been behind her the whole time, but now I let her feel my presence. Press right up against her just for a minute. She needs it. I need it. Her reaction does something to us both.]

LOGAN: [I'm tempted to put out the claws. Press that smooth, hot metal up against her. Watch it gleam against her skin. Use 'em to make her come. I know it's too much right now. For her. For me, too. Not for HIM, though. He wants it all. Even the shit that sends sane folks runnin' into the night. The animal roars so loud in my head that I sway a little on my feet. I needta make myself come, take the edge off, but he won't let me. Payback for not lettin' him play with her like he wants. He's gonna keep us all on the edge. That's a fuckin' soberin' thought. My hand finds my cock. I can't help but stroke it as I watch her. She looks fuckin' delicious spread like that.]

MARIE: [I can feel him behind me now and I wonder if he likes the view. I know I'm spread before him in absolute supplication. I feel him sink down and wrap one hand around my ankle. His free hand touches my wrists and moves my hands up a bit higher, until it's just slightly uncomfortable. That only ramps us all up more. He has an incredible amount of power in this position. He could break my arm. He could force me into anything. He could— he could put the claws out and—]

MARIE: [My brain stutters there as lust roils up and shakes me in its teeth. Oh, fuck. I didn't even think about the claws. He could do anything he liked and yet I felt only the softest touch of his lips at first, right there in the small of my back. In time, his touch becomes less soft and more passionate. Lingering open-mouthed kisses. A sucking caress. A lick. The claws are forgotten as I moan softly into the gag. It feels so good and yet it's still not enough. I want more.]

LOGAN: [Kissin' and lickin'. S'so fuckin' good. I can't resist givin' her a little nip right there on the most delicious curve of her ass, just because I can barely control my desire. The animal gets away from me a little and the next time I bite her, it ain't so playful. She gives me a little squeal but I think she's enjoyin' how much I'm gettin' off on playin' with her body. Yeah, she's enjoyin' it real good. The noises she's makin' into the gag tell me she wants me to hear how much she likes it. That's gonna end me. Fuck.]

LOGAN: [My cock's so hard it hurts. S'drippin' now, too. Leavin' drops on the floor like she did earlier. My hips move instinctively, seekin' relief, and I can't help but rub my cock on her some. Paintin' her with the wetness. Markin' her.] _You feel that, honey? _ [Little nod. Opened her legs a little too, tryin' to get me to rub her there. No chance, darlin'. I ain't done playin' with ya yet. I do it a little more, for her and for me. Seein' the shine of it on her skin, smellin' it on her. Fuck. So fuckin' good. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck. The animal is howlin' for her. He wantsta slam all that need into her. Spread those legs and pound the hell outta her 'till we all come. I crush that down and refocus on her.]

MARIE: [I feel like a collection of randomly firing nerves. He's stimulated my body and my senses until I'm brought low by even the slightest touch. The brush of his lips. His breath, hot on my skin. The wet drag of his tongue. God, his teeth. I think he's rubbing his cock against me, too. I feel something hot and slick, but wet in a different way than his mouth. I'm dyin'. Mewlin'. Please, sugar. Please...]

LOGAN: [I kiss down to where her cheeks meet her legs – that spot I teased before when I was ticklin' her there with my fingertips... only this time, I'm kissin'. Suckin'. Bitin'. From this position, I kiss right into her slit. She groans real loud into the gag at that. Heh. She wasn't expectin' me to do that. She thought I'd go on teasin' her, but I'm serious now. Fuck the build-up. Fuck playin' on the edge. I wanna kick her over rude and dirty and so hard it takes her clear outta her head.]

LOGAN: [She moves with me, tryin' to get more from me, all the while not quite certain what to do. Riding my mouth and tongue. Grindin' into my chin. The stubble's gotta hurt but I can tell she likes it. Her cries are gettin' frantic. Wild. There's an edge to 'em I ain't heard from her before, except for that night she was screamin' for me to come to her in the torch. She's callin' to him. To the animal. He heard her then and he hears her now, too. This is more intense than she thought it would be. She wants... but she almost doesn't want. Last time, I nearly burned her to ashes. This time will surpass that.]

MARIE: [It's almost too much. I can't stand it. I writhe to get away. I writhe to keep in contact with his mouth. His lips. His teeth. Oh God, his tongue. Diving in. Finding all my most sensitive spots. Kissing. Suckling. If he stops, I'll die. If he doesn't stop, I'll die a different death. I can't even think. My world has been reduced to the electric connection between his mouth and my sex.]

LOGAN: [Her back stiffens as I latch on to her sweet spot n'suck. Hard. All I want is for her to be comin' so strong she can't even think no more. Her wild rhythmic cries tell me she's real close now. She's pushin' herself back against my mouth and I'm spreadin' her as far as I can, relentless in pursuit of her orgasm. C'mon! Give it up!]

MARIE: [White implosion. It swallows me up like an eddy of fire, lickin' up from between my legs to engulf my entire body until my brain shorts out. My legs shake as it takes me hard, so much harder than the first time. The senses I have been denied make the ones I have left more acute. It's too much. Too much! I feel too exposed. Oh, god. God! Blind and mute, I come on his mouth, screaming my pleasure into the gag until the blackness begins to pull at the edges of my consciousness. I sag heavily, letting the solid surface below me bear my full weight as the force of my orgasm leaves me weak and spent. I can feel myself throbbing on his lips as he licks at me. My skin stings, raw from his stubble. A good hurt. It's all so good.]

LOGAN: [I drink her up and her comin' like that makes me lose all my will to go further with her. I can't handle this aspect of it. HE can't either. Fuck. It's more than we realized it would be, but she's givin' us so much... Christ. Now. NOW! We needta— Even before she stops comin' I'm on my feet and slammin' into her. I've taken all she can give and I still need more.]

MARIE: [I cry out as I lose his mouth. His hands are grippin' my hips hard. An animal sound is torn from him as he rises quickly to his feet and positions himself behind me. Even through the sexual fog, I can tell what's coming. Not touching him with my hands is killing me. He's a wild thing and I have driven him to this. Me. I did this to him. A rush of feminine power suffuses my body. I want him to take me like this, rough and out of control. I want the animal. I always have. I ache to be filled and I wanna feel him fuck and rut. I know that's what he wants. The bruising grip he has on me tells me so.]

LOGAN: [She let me in— although she couldn't have stopped me from takin' her. I couldn't stop myself. I didn't even try. I wrap my arm around her waist and push deep, forcin' a grunt from her. I'm not gentle. This is what she has driven me to. Driven HIM to. It was supposed to be her that lost control but in this moment, I'm the one who's lost. The Wolverine's in charge now. She knows what I want; knows what he needs. Her back arches and she welcomes me in. I wanna be inside. Inside. Deep. Inside. Where it's safe.] _Safe..._

MARIE: [He's completely out of control. He isn't truly hurtin' me but he's far from gentle. Now it's my turn to observe him. I am too satiated, too pleasure-soaked to come again so soon, but that gives me an awareness of him I wouldn't have otherwise had. I can feel every last inch of him stretching me. It's so deep like this. So wild. I feel the tip of his cock hit my cervix with each deep thrust, sending sparks juddering out from my center. He's growling. Grunting. I smell us, sweat and sex and leather. I hear flesh impact flesh as much as I feel it. The force of his thrusts have driven me forward until my hips are pinned between the hard edge of the table and the unforgiving bulk of his body. I can feel his power. He is a magnificent animal and yet the word he's uttering seems not to fit with his actions. Safe. An odd word to use, given our respective positions.]

LOGAN: [Safe. I'm sayin' that word to her over and over while I still can. The animal's gonna take over completely soon.] _Safe... safe... safe..._ [Sayin' it low and steady as I rut and pump in so hard, knowin' it seems all wrong for this moment. Knowin' she'll ask me about it later. It's a part of what I'm givin' up to her. A trust I have in her that I don't have with anyone else.]

LOGAN: [Too soon, words are gone. There's nothin' but the animal left now, takin' what he needs from her. It ain't pretty. It's instinct. Possession. Savage and brutal and so fuckin' vulnerable I know — WE know — we'll never be the same after. It's a sear. A brand. We won't heal. Not from that. It's knowin' that truth that does it. Makes us come. That part's pure animal, pure physical. Hot white spurts into a tight pink clench. S'crude. And honest. And I don't stop until it's runnin' down her thighs. I hold her hard to secure her to me in the final moments. I press deep, press home, and my surrender is complete.]

MARIE: [I'm humbled to receive him this way. Everything laid bare to me. Blind, I finally see his true self. It's beautiful. Unfettered. His body shudders, straining hard over mine and his throat closes tight as I squeeze down, cradling him in the only way left to me. He is silent now. Even the savage growls have stopped. I feel his heartbeat inside me. Feel his body pulse. Feel a fluid warmth bloom where we are so intimately joined. It's hot and slippery. His gift eases the friction. Strong arms enfold me tenderly as his hips rock once, twice, glorying in the sleek, agonizing slide of over-sensitized flesh before he finally comes to rest against my womb and stills. I can't give him a sweeter, more intimate embrace.]

LOGAN: [I collapse against her back. Safe. She won't hurt me. She's never told me that but I've always known it. She don't play with people. My face is pressed into her back. I whisper her name and feel her clench around me in response. I wonder if she can feel my tears. I'm not ashamed of them. Another salty trickle from my body. Now she has them both. I wipe my face against her skin and kiss her back softly as I catch my breath.]

MARIE: [Tears. From such a man, they are a gift beyond measure. The blindfold hides my own wet eyes and the gag keeps me from telling him how I feel, but I let my body speak for me and know that he'll understand. The Wolverine has a different language. I speak to him now, saying things I'm too afraid to say aloud to the man.]

LOGAN: [When I recover, I'm unsure for the first time all night but I try to cover it up and I withdraw as gently as I can. I know she's gotta be sore. I watch it happen. It's crude and beautiful. I'm spent, my dick hangs heavily against my thigh, wet and plump. I like how she looks after. Spread. Pink. Soft. Dewy, kinda, like a bruised flower. We're both wet with sweat and passion. I help her up and let her lean against the table she's been stretched over while I remove the clamps, brushin' my thumbs soothingly over her tender nipples. She's unsteady and instinctively seeks the shelter of my body. That's damn good. I give it without hesitation, whisperin' to her that she's free now, she can move her hands. While she flexes them, I take off the blindfold and we look at each other for the first time tonight. Both of us are deeply moved by what we see.]

MARIE: [I want to touch him. It seems odd to see him for the first time just now. I feel shy. Hesitant. I want to duck my head and hide my face in his neck but I can't seem to look away from his eyes. To do so would be an insult to all that has passed between us tonight. He holds my eyes as well as he reaches behind me to undo the gag. I know what he wants now and I'll gladly give it to him.]

LOGAN: [I feel her touch my chest, but all I want to do is touch her lips. I force myself to go slow, startin' with the lightest kiss. The first one of this trip and the last of the secrets I'm gonna take from her right now. She knows what this moment is for me and allows me to have it, allows me to control the kiss but shows me, in all the silent ways I have taught her tonight, that she wants more. We kiss more deeply and soon we're wrapped around each other and I'm bendin' her over to kiss her.]

MARIE: [I'm drowning in him. I feel the rough stubble under my palms, run my fingers through his sweaty hair. His skin is warm and moist where it's pressed to mine. He smells of us. Of sex. Of sweat. Of man. I can taste myself on his mouth. I can taste scotch and a hint of smoke in his kiss. I can taste love.]

LOGAN: [I break the kiss when, and only when, I sense we're done talkin' that way. The animal's gotten what he needed. I lift my head to meet her eyes and I know what I see there is reflected in my expression. I smile and touch her face real soft.] _Want me to take off the boots before I carry you to my bed? Or were you hopin' to sleep in 'em, kid?_ [I ask it light, but it's the moment when I first really talk to her, instead of at her, like I've been doin' all night.]

MARIE: [Safe in his arms, I finally notice my surroundings. It's not a sex dungeon. It's a dojo. An empty room for working out and meditation. He's had me bent over a leather couch that he pulled into the center of the space. The awareness feels strange, like a glimpse behind the Wizard's curtain. Another secret revealed and shared. I smile, reluctant to give up his arms but I want to sleep in a naked tangle with him. I'm ready for the boots to come off. They've served their purpose.] _Off please, cowboy._ [Still, I can't help but tease him just a little.] _Giddyup. _

LOGAN: [Heh. Sassy thing that she is, she props one right up in front of me. Jesus Christ. That's a view. With a chuckle, I kneel down and undo the laces, slidin' it off real slow. I reach for the second and do the same. My come shines wetly on her inner thighs. I watch it make a pearly trail down the inside of her leg as I work the laces. A very primal satisfaction burns through me. I feel pride. And humility. From my knees, I look up to find her watchin' me. Never seen that look on her face before. I like it.]

MARIE: [He's good with intricate things. Even better than I am with the laces. The thought makes me smile. I give him a little squeeze with the hand I have braced on his shoulder.] _You made short work of that, sugar._

LOGAN: [Course I did. I want her naked in my bed and I ain't a patient guy. I've undressed a lotta women over the years, but that's not what gives me this skill. War has a way of makin' a man proficient with his hands. Especially when that's where the most dangerous weapons are housed. I don't have to tell her that. She knows. I smile and shrug.] _Good hands, you know? _[Her smile is mischievous.]

MARIE: _ Mmm… I believe I've just had a lesson in how good your hands are._ [His deep growl eclipses my naughty giggle and he rises fast, sweeping me up in his arms and marches off, straight up the stairs to his bedroom. I'm too satiated to be curious. I'm not really interested in anything outside the circle of his arms right now. I feel too close to him to let the world intrude. Tomorrow, though… tomorrow in the light I'm gonna take a good long look at everything. The expression on his face tells me he knows it, too. I wonder what secrets I'll have to give up in return.]

LOGAN: [With a low chuckle of my own, I toss her in the bed and climb in over her. She's the first woman I've taken to this bed. My bed. It ain't the Mansion. Ain't a crashhouse or some apartment I sleep in between missions. This is my home. My sanctuary. The only memories I want here are ones I make to last a lifetime. I told her that once. I don't have to guess if she remembers. The soft look on her face tells me she does. I acknowledge it with a nod. I'm not really up for deep conversations tonight. Not after what we just did.]

LOGAN: [I watch her wet her lips. I know her throat'll be dry after wearin' the gag for so long. I reach for the glass of water I left on the night table in anticipation of her need and raise it to my lips. I take a swallow for myself and then draw in another for her, passin' it from my mouth to hers in an intimate kiss. She's thirsty. We drain the rest of the glass the same way. Afterwards, I pull her close and our bodies tangle, moist and lethargic. She whispers somethin' in my ear and sighs happily. It makes me smile.]

MARIE: [It feels good to be here. Right. I'm at a different place in my head than I was last time we slept together. A better place. Drinking from his lips is an unexpected intimacy. I like it. I purr into his ear when he pulls me close and blush a little as he slides his thigh between mine. I can feel his come between my legs, wet and slippery. I trace the lines in his face with my fingertips and whisper into his ear.] _I'm wet with you._

LOGAN: [She is and I like it.] _I wanna sleep here with you all night. And I want ya just like you are, right after what we've done, no cleanin' up. I want me all over you._ [Her eyes warm at my words. She whispers to me that she likes that. A lot. Likes my scent on her. It is a very animal thing to say, and that resonates deeply. I feel more like an animal than usual — in a good way — wet and ripe with the earthy scent of sex, wrapped up with her in my den. I rumble my contentment to her.]

MARIE: [I snuggle closer and our hands touch. I smile into his neck as our fingers twine together. My eyes close. I feel so safe with him like this.] _Safe. _ [Almost not a word. Just a slow sigh of contentment shaped into the ghost of something recognizable.]

LOGAN: [I give an answering sigh as I relax completely against her. Safe is how I feel. Safe with a part of me I hadn't expected to have on display tonight, but that's a discussion we'll have later. The pillow talk is light, but unspoken between us is that we'll talk about what happened tonight. But not just now. We're not ready. Right now we'll just enjoy the way it's made us feel. What it's taught us about ourselves. The questions it's answered for us.]

MARIE: [We shift as we cuddle until it's me holding him instead of the other way around. He never lets himself be this vulnerable. He usually likes to have me close after, to be the one holding his lover, but tonight he just wants to crash, and it's a humbling gift that he feels safe enough with me to let me watch over him while he sleeps.]

LOGAN: [In this moment, I am more the animal than her friend or her lover. I'll probably be asleep before she stops touchin' me, but I wanna give her one last thing before it takes me.] _C'mere._ [She moves closer still and I nuzzle into her hair.] _What happened tonight— _[She knows what I mean. I ain't talkin' about the games we played or even the secrets we gave up to each other. I don't let the animal out with anyone. Ever. Tonight it wasn't even a conscious choice. It just happened. Because of her. I'd say I don't really know what that means, but we both do. It's just we're still runnin' from it.] _ That's never happened before. Not with anyone. He trusts you, kid. Simple as that. So you go to sleep tonight knowin' it, and I'll go to sleep feelin' it._ [And so it goes.]

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><p>Feedback is love.<p>

Author's note: So, yeah. 15K of SmutThatsNotShine. I completely and totally blame my WolverineMuse for this. And have I mentioned he's insisted on a _companion_ story? FML.

Up next: 10K more. (Still smutty, still not Shine. Geez. lol)

**Silent Night**  
><em>First he took her sight. Now he takes her voice…<em>

Just in time for Christmas, hey?


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